The Pulley-Belt System

WAWY
FKP, UMP
September 2013
Pulley and belt are mechanical transmission elements. As a system, they transmit force-torque,
velocity, tangential acceleration, angular acceleration, angular velocity and angular position between
pulleys. Figure 1.0 below is a picture of a pulley-belt system.

Figure 1: A picture of an actual pulley-belt system application.
The purpose of a pulley-belt system is to manipulate the motion. By manipulating, we mean
changing the motion magnitude and direction. An example of changing direction is shown in Figure 2.
Referring to Figure 2, the magnitude of the displacement, velocity and acceleration of mass A is the
same as mass B but the direction is different. Mass A is moving horizontally while mass B is moving
vertically.

Figure 2: An example of motion changing direction using a pulley system.
Using a pulley-belt system, we can also change the motion magnitude without changing direction. By
carefully choosing the right pulley size and configurations, we can change displacement, speed and
acceleration of a pulley-belt system.

A
m
B
m
1.0 Facts about pulley-belt system
Figure 3 below is a schematic of a pulley-belt system.

Figure 3: A simple pulley-belt system
Here are some facts about the system:
- The power or energy flow is constant, or is assumed constant (assume no energy loss due to
heat, for example). The principle energy is not created nor destroyed is still applicable here.
- The motion at the contact points between the pulley and the belt are equal. They are moving
together because we assume no slipping occurs between the belt and pulley. Referring to Figure
4 below, point A is a shared point between the pulley and the belt. Thus, they have the same
velocity and tangential acceleration.

Figure 4: Point A is a shared point between the pulley and the belt.
- Velocity and tangential acceleration magnitudes are equal along the belts because the belts are
assumed to be inextensible (and also incompressible!). If the speed is different on the belts, then
the belt will stretch or compress. Notice that it is the magnitude that is equals not the direction as
can be seen from the Figure 5.
B
B
B
o
e
u
A
A
A
o
e
u
A
r
B
r
A
V
B
V
( )
T B
a
( )
T A
a
( )
N B
a
( )
N A
a
Belt
Pulley
r
A
A
V
r
A
A
V
r
A
A
V
Belt
Pulley
Belt Pulley

Figure 5: Speed and acceleration is the same at any point on the belt.
- The magnitude of the normal acceleration can be different between the pulleys as shown in
Figure 6. However, both pointed towards the centre of rotation.


Figure 6: Normal acceleration is not the same between the pulleys.

2.0 Angular Position
One revolution of pulley A will not make one revolution of pulley B since the radius of the pulley is not
equal. Consider the system in Figure 7 below.

Figure 7: Angular displacement of a pulley-belt system
Whenever pulley A rotates
A
u amount, the belt is moving with
A
S amount of displacement. The same
amount of displacement is rotated by pulley B. Thus, we have:
A
r
B
r
A
V
B
V
( )
T B
a
( )
T A
a
B A
V V =
B A
V V =
A
r
B
r
( )
N B
a
( )
N A
a
Belt
Pulley
B
u
A
r
B
r
A A A
r S u =
B A
S S =
B A
S S =
A
u
B B B
r S u =
B B A A
B A
B B B
A A A
r r
S S
r S
r S
u u
u
u
=
=
=
=

From the above relation, the angular position between pulley A and pulley B is given below.
A
B
B
A
r
r
=
u
u

Notice the inverse relationship between the radius and the angular displacement. The bigger pulley is
rotationally smaller.
3.0 Angular Velocity
Since the velocity along the belt is the same, relation between angular velocities can be derived as
shown below.
A
B
B
A
B B A A
B A
r
r
r r
V V
=
=
=
e
e
e e
Notice the inverse relationship between the radius and the angular velocity. The bigger pulley is
rotationally slower.
4.0 Angular Acceleration
TANGENTIAL angular acceleration between pulley A and pulley B is the same.
A
B
B
A
B B A A
B A
r
r
r r
a a
=
=
=
o
o
o o
Notice the inverse relationship between the radius and the angular acceleration. The bigger pulley is
rotationally less accelerating.
5.0 Normal Acceleration
The normal acceleration between the pulleys is different because the size of the pulley is different.
( )
( )
B B N B
A A N A
r a
r a
2
2
e
e
=
=


7.0 Summary

Motion Relationship Remarks
Angular Position
A
B
B
A
r
r
=
u
u

Smaller turns for the bigger
pulley.
Angular Velocity
A
B
B
A
r
r
=
e
e
The bigger pulley is slower.
Angular Acceleration
A
B
B
A
r
r
=
o
o

The bigger puller is accelerating
less.
Velocity
B A
V V =
Same magnitude at contact
point.
Tangential Acceleration
( ) ( )
B B A A
B T A T
r r
a a
o o =
=

Same magnitude at contact
point.
Normal Acceleration
( ) ( )
( )
( )
B B B N
A A A N
B N A N
r a
r a
a a
2
2
e
e
=
=
=

Depend of the radius of the
pulley and the angular velocity.



Problem 01
Starting from rest when s = 0, pulley A is given an angular
acceleration = 6 rad/s
2
, where is in radians. Determine the
speed of block B when it has risen 6 m. The pulley has an
inner hub D which is fixed to C and turns with it.
Given:
( )
( )
2
rad/s 6
m 6
m 0
u o =
=
=
A
f B
i B
s
s

What to determine?
The speed of mass B,
B
V when( ) m 6 =
f B
s .
Observations
- There are 6 rigid bodies: (1) the ground (2) pulley A (3) the belt (4) the pulley C and D (5) the cord
DB and (6) the mass B.
- Pulley A is accelerating which causes pulley C and D to accelerate which then accelerate the
mass B.
- The displacement of mass B is equals to the rotational displacement of pulley D.
- The acceleration of mass B is equals to the tangential acceleration of pulley D.
Solution
We need to relate the acceleration of mass B with the given angular acceleration of pulley A. First,
determine the angular acceleration of pulley C.
A
C
A
C
A
C
C
A
r
r
r
r
o o
o
o
=
=

Pulley D angular acceleration is equals to pulley C accelerations. Then, the tangential acceleration of
pulley D can be determined.
( )
D A
C
A
D D D T
A
C
A
C D
r
r
r
r a
r
r
o o
o o o
= =
= =

Tangential acceleration of pulley D is equals to the acceleration of mass B. Furthermore, it is given
that
A A
u o 6 = .
( )
A D
C
A
B
D A
C
A
D T B
r
r
r
a
r
r
r
a a
u
o
6 =
= =

Now, we have to relate
A
u with the vertical displacement of mass B. From our observation, the
displacement of mass B is equals to the rotational displacement of pulley D.
D D B
r s u =
Now we need to relate
D
u with
A
u .
D A
C
A
C
A
C
C
A
r
r
r
r
u u u
u
u
= =
=

Replacing into previous equation, we have:
A D
C
A
A
C
A
D D D
r r
sr
r
r
r r s
=
= =
u
u u

Replacing into
B
a , we have:
s
r r
sr
r
r
r
r
r
r
a
A D
C
D
C
A
A D
C
A
B
6 6 6 =
|
|
.
|

\
|
= = u
Finally, we can solve the motion of mass B.
2
m 6
0
2
0
2
0
m 6
0
m/s 7 . 14
) 18 ( 6
2
6 6
2
=
=
(

= =
=
=
}
} }
B
s
B
V
V
s
sds
V
ads vdv
ads vdv
B





Problem 02
A mill in a textile plant uses the belt-and-pulley arrangement shown to
transmit power. When t = 0 and electric motor is turning pulley A with
an angular velocity of
A
e = 5 rad/s. If this pulley is subjected to a
constant angular acceleration 2 rad/s
2
, determine the angular velocity
of pulley B after B turns 6 revolutions. The hub D is rigidly connected
to pulley C and it turns with it.
Given:
( )
2
rad/s 2
rad/s 5
=
=
A
i A
o
e

What to determine?
The angular velocity of pulley B, when rev 6 =
B
u .
Observations
- There are 6 rigid bodies: (1) the ground three pins at the centre of each pulley (2) pulley A (3)
the belt linking pulley A and pulley C (4) pulley C and hub D (5) the belt linking hub D and pulley B
and (6) pulley B.
- Pulley A is not accelerating meaning that it rotates at constant angular velocity. This allows us to
use constant angular acceleration equations.
- The angular velocity of pulley C is lower than pulley A because its radius is bigger. Similarly, the
angular velocity of pulley B is lower than pulley C because the radius of hub D is smaller than
pulley C. In other words, we expect the angular velocity of pulley B is lower than 5 rad/s.
- On the other hand, we have an opposite situation with the angular displacement. When pulley B is
rotating 6 revolutions, we expect hub D will rotate more than 6 revolutions because of its smaller
radius. Likewise, pulley A will rotate more than pulley C. We expect pulley A to rotate more than 6
revolutions.
Solution
Once pulley B is rotating at 6 rev, we can determine the amount of revolution pulley A is rotating.
Once we know pulley A revolution, we can use constant angular acceleration equation to determine
the angular velocity of pulley A. Once the pulley A angular velocity is known, we can determine
angular velocity of pulley C and hub D and then pulley B.
D C
B
D
B
D
B
D
B
r
r
r
r
u u
u u
u
u
t
t
u
=
=
=
= =
D
B
rad 12
rev
rad 2
rev 6

Now, the relationship between
A
u :
rad 78 . 17 12
3
4
5 . 4
5
C
A
t t u u
u u
u
u
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
=
=
B
D
B
A
C
A
C
A
C
A
A
C
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r

Now, we can use constant angular acceleration equation on pulley A.
( ) ( )
rad/s 76 . 15
) 78 . 17 )( 2 ( 2 5 0 2
2 2
0
2
=
+ = + =
A
A A A A
e
t u o e e

Now, lets determine the angular velocity of pulley C.
( ) rad/s 18 . 14 76 . 15
5
5 . 4
= = =
=
A
C
A
C
C
A
A
C
r
r
r
r
e e
e
e

Since
C
e e =
D
, we can now determine the angular velocity of pulley B.
( ) rad/s 64 . 10 18 . 14
4
3
= = =
=
D
B
D
B
B
D
D
B
r
r
r
r
e e
e
e